Types of incontinence

There are many misconceptions when it comes to incontinence. The most common one is that incontinence is a normal part of growing older. However, it cannot be stress enough that incontinence is not a natural part of aging, but is most often brought on by other conditions and factors. Many people also assume that all incontinence is the same. However, this belief is also not correct. There are many different types of incontinence. It is important that if you are the caregiver, for a senior in your life, that you become educated about the different types of incontinence. This is important since the type of incontinence will have a direct bearing on what type of treatment is prescribed, what type of incontinence products to use and the best way to manage it. Here is what you need to know about the different types of incontinence-

Stress Incontinence- This common form of incontinence occurs when the patient laughs, coughs, sneezes or does some form of physical exertion. This is a highly common form of incontinence, and is found in more women than men. This type of incontinence occurs because the muscles on the pelvic floor have weakened. This is one of the most treatable forms of incontinence.

Urge Incontinence- Over a third of the older adults with incontinence, have this form. This type of incontinence is when the patient has a sudden urge to urinate. This is brought on by a contraction of the bladder muscles. Patients with this type of incontinence report having to frequently urinate, (especially at night), have bed wetting and episodes of sudden loss of urine.

Overflow incontinence- This is the most common type of incontinence for men. This type of incontinence is most often brought on by prostrate problems (another common problem in older men). When the patient has this type of incontinence urine tends to overflow out of the full bladder, which results in involuntary leakage. Patients with overflow incontinence will often describe a sensation that their bladder still contains urine after they've urinated.

Functional incontinence- This type of incontinence is brought on by a neurological disorder, which prevents the patient from experiencing the normal sensations that come with urinary and bowel control. Patients with Parkinson’s disease, advanced neuropathy, dementia and Alzheimer’s, along with other conditions, will often experience this type of incontinence. In addition, if a patient has a mobility problem their incontinence would be classified as functional. Finally, if a patient has incontinence brought on by a certain medication, it is also referred to as functional incontinence.

For more info on types of incontinence, treatments to be taken and the type of adult incontinence products (adult diapers, bed pads, pull ups)to use while undergoing treatment search the web and forums.